Kintropy In Action

When we walked through the double doors leading to the indoor water park we were hit with warm moist air.   I was gingerly pushing Hannah in her wheelchair while Gabriel giggled and pointed to the giant play structure with a humongous bucket spilling water down on the people on the play structure.

Robert was giving him encouragements as we approached the lifeguard admitting check point.  It had an giant apparatus filled with life jackets of all sizes.  We stopped and a cheerful women looked the kids over.  She selected life jackets.  She helped Gabriel into one and then helped me put one on Hannah.  She smiled and bubbled and even talked to Hannah.  She bid us all to have fun as she directed us to the long ramp that went almost the length of the building to get down to the water park main floor. 

Gabriel was jabbering with excitement while Hannah was looking everywhere quietly.  Robert and I exchanged looks of 'Here we go.'  I find our team work very helpful in these situations.  Our first order of business was to secure a locker.  We were down to essentials but there were shoes and cover ups required in the lobby.   We took another ramp down to the next level and found the lockers conveniently located near the bathroom and children's pool.   Signs posted that we all should shower before we went into the water.   We stowed everything we could then split up.  Gabriel and Robert went to the men's room while Hannah and I went to the women's room.

Now whenever I approach a unseen bathroom with Hannah there is always a sense of trepidation.  Public restrooms on a whole are not convenient  for people in wheelchairs.  I was immediately relieved when the space directly inside was open and not crowded.  The area next to the shower stalls was a little cramped.  When she is older there will be some problems but for that day it was fine.  I rolled her into a shower kiosk right outside the shower area.  I turned on the water and tried to figure out how to warm it up.   I stepped in with my suit on and did a wash down.  Hannah started giggling.  Anything usually done in private, done in a public space starts her laughing.  Next, I sat her on the floor and got her wet.  She was unsure about this and demanded to be put back in her chair.  I told her we all have to shower before we go play in the water.  She harrumphed at that and let me finish.    When I went to set her back in her chair I realized it would be getting pretty wet.   I made a mental note to bring a towel for her to set on next time. 

We met the guys outside staring at the water features.  Robert and I decided on a plan.  Hannah and I would try the kiddie pool while he and Gabriel tried the water play structure.   

The kiddie pool is well designed it has three perpendicular pipes in it's center randomly spewing water from each one.  They are surrounded by three equally spaced  2 feet diameter flowers that could be turned and create sprays of water from them.   To one side there is a structure that looks like a lifeguard station that is streaming water down in a well spaced curtain of streams.  The main part of the structure is actually the steps to a bending water slide the appropriate size for a toddler.     The water at the very edge of this pool is only about one center meter deep and gradually goes to a foot and a half to one side of the pool.   

The first thing I did was set her down.  In the 3 cm deep water.  She  stared at the water and watched the other kids playing with her parents.   I don't know how long we did this.  I then moved her next to the streaming water.  She immediately closed  her eyes and turned away.  This means in Hannah language 'Too much stimulation, take me away please.”  So I moved her away and tried some other things.  I went to the top of the slide but read that you can't ride with a child on your lap.  So we went to explore the other little pool it had a slide but I had to ride with her next to me.  It wasn't curvy and it was a steep drop and there was a constant sprinkling from the top.  It wasn't ideal but she did love it. 

Later as her comfort level grew she started to put her hands in the various fountains and play with them.   She loved the wave pool.  When the waves would hit her she would giggle.  I eventually got enough nerve to place her on top of me on an inter tube and ride in the waves she found this fun to.  Even when the waves were not going she would lay contently as we bobbed in the water.

When we would sit on the shore area, play with a fountain and feel the waves come in I would marvel.  A year ago when she was trached this would not have been a comfortable experience.  I would have thought about it then cringed at the idea.   This was are first family trip to a resort and we all had fun.

--Mom